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What Is The Best Use?

  • Apr 14
  • 2 min read

Learning & Skills: Team Building

  • Decision Making

  • Negotiation


Time & Tools

Total Time: 30 minutes

Necessary Tools: Pencils or pens and blank paper

Optional Tools: Flip chart or writing board

Note: The room needs to be large enough so that partners or groups are not sitting directly

beside each other. A classroom setting is ideal.


Step 1

  1. Give everyone a pencil or pen and a blank sheet of paper.

  2. Tell everyone they will be performing an exercise that focuses on decision-making.

  3. Tell everyone they have just received $1,000.00 to spend any way they want.

  4. Tell everyone they have 1 minute to silently write on their paper how they want to spend their $1,000.00 (they do this as individuals).


Step 2

  1. After 1 minute, have everyone form groups of 3 or 4 people. Have the groups move

    throughout the room so they are not too close to each other.

  2. Tell everyone they have 15 minutes to share, with their group members, how they would

    spend their individual $1,000.00. AND, during this time, they have to also choose One Way for the group to spend the money. For example, if there are 11 individual ways to spend the $1,000.00, the group can only choose One Way.


Step 3

  1. After 15 minutes, everyone faces the person leading the exercise. Can have everyone return to their original location, if the room is large and it would be difficult to hear the exercise leader or others.

  2. Have a representative from each group share what they decided and how they made

    their decision.


Step 4

Note: For this Step, if a flip chart or writing board is available, capture this information for

viewing by everyone.

  1. 1. After all groups have shared their information, ask the following general “take away” question: What does this exercise say about making decisions and working together?


Take Away Examples

Note: Below are some “take away” examples from the exercise. If the attendees do not

mention these, the exercise leader could mention them.

  1. Everyone had to work together.

  2. Everyone had to “give up” something.

  3. The group had to focus on one common goal.

  4. The group had to analyze the differences and similarities.

  5. The group had to make choices to achieve the common goal.

  6. The group had to make sure that each person saw some value in “giving up” something.


Optional Additional Question

How could you use the ideas from this exercise in your personal life or your work life?


Adjustments to What Is the Best Use? Exercise

  1. Change the amount of money to be less than or more than $1,000.00.

  2. Change the Time or Grouping: The time for this exercise is based on 6 – 10 people. Make adjustments based on the number of attendees at your meeting. If number of attendees is smaller, you could have them work in pairs (2 people). If the number of attendees is larger, you could increase the size of the group members (e.g., 5 – 6 people).


Adapted from Sister in the Brotherhood: www.carpenters.org/Sisters



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